Doug Mueller constructed a fourth garage bay at Mueller's Performance & Auto in Jefferson City years ago, but up until recently, it was sitting empty. Now Mueller plans to use that space for a new business - a smokehouse, smokeshop and liquor store.
Located at 1600 E. McCarty St., Smokehouse Smokeshop will sell cigarettes, cigars and alcohol, including beer and hard liquor.
After a few months of renovation - including installing an eight-door, walk-in cooler - Mueller hopes to open Smokehouse Smokeshop in the next month.
Store hours will be 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, but Mueller said that may change.
"I'll be glad to get it up and running so I can quit working so hard," he said. "I'm trying to do the repair business at the same time I'm trying to get that going."
Mueller plans to continue operating Mueller's Performance & Auto at its current location.
Since Mueller hadn't worked in the fourth garage, he said, it was time to use it to help him make money during retirement.
"I'm getting to the point where I need to slow down a little and work less hard and have something I can still make money at when I put someone else in there to run it," he said.
Not only was there a need for a smokehouse and smokeshop on Jefferson City's east side, Mueller said, but those types of businesses can also weather the economy's rollercoaster. The high-traffic area will also bring a continuous stream of customers, he added.
"This street out here is so busy that I've got to be busy," he said. "Everybody I've talked to has said this is a brilliant idea."
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